Disclaimer: They're only mine when I'm having REM
Dredging up the past
Will looked backwards and forwards between his dad and Miss Winters. Why had she called herself
Willow? He was sure Lizbeth had said her name was Alex. And from the way his dad was staring at her
he was beginning to feel that there were many more secrets to Miss Winters than her name. For
example, why was his dad so speechless? He was a quiet man but he was always polite. Now the
musician was just staring at the librarian.
Finally Oz spoke. "William, upstairs please."
"But I really think I should st..."
"Upstairs now."
Will stared at his dad in shock. That was the first time he'd ever been ordered to do something. And the
teenager did not enjoy the feeling that came with it. However, upstairs seemed to be a far safer place
than here right now. He was not liking the tension in this hall one bit.
"I'll see you in the morning then. Goodnight Miss Winters."
Neither of the two adults in the hall acknowledged the boys farewell, Willow was too caught up in the
sight of her old love and Oz was busy processing the fact that his son had called Willow Miss Winters.
"So." The nervous woman began.
"So." Oz replied cautiously.
He let out a breath that he hadn't even realized he was holding, and continued. "You're married."
"What. No. Why...Oh, the Winters thing. No I just. I wanted to leave Willow behind. Completely. So I
changed my name."
"Why did you come back then? If you wanted to leave it all behind I mean."
"Work."
"Oh."
They lapsed into another long silence, memories flooding back.
After a few moments more of staring and remembering, Oz finally said, "Well I suppose you should
come in to the lounge."
"Thank you."
As Willow settled herself on the comfy brown sofa Oz asked the easiest question he would ask that
night.
"Tea? Coffee?"
"Tea please."
As the werewolf busied himself with the task of preparing Tea, Willow glanced around the room, she
took it all in, the Stereo, the huge CD and record collection, the small TV. and a couple of guitars rested
in the corner of the room. It was obviously a family room; the rug on the floor was a beautiful picture of a
wolf, sat alert, surrounded by tree trunks. Flowers were on the windowsill. This home definitely had been
given the female touch, but there were no signs that the house had a female occupant. At least not one
over the age of 16 Willow thought as she glanced at the copy of Seventeen Magazine mixed in with the
copies of Total Guitar and Kerrang!
She glanced up at the fireplace and spotted a number of photos. There was one of Will, his arms around
a young girl of about fifteen. Willow recognized Oz's easy grin and kind eyes on the girl's face. *A
daughter as well. So where's the wife? *
"She left us." Oz answered.
Willow looked round in shock. "Did I say that out loud?"
"No, but everyone who comes here looks at those pictures and asks where the ones of my wife are."
"Oh. I'm sorry."
"Don't be, it was for the best. She couldn't handle being a mother. She tried for the first few years, but
she knew that it was no good. She just didn't get that maternal feeling. We both agreed that the kids
would be better of with no mother than with a mother who couldn't seem to love them."
"But still, it must have been hard."
"Surprisingly not. We were never in love. Just infatuated."
"Oh."
Silence settled over the room as Willow accepted her tea and sat back down on the sofa.
"So do you want to start?" Oz asked gently, sensing that whatever Willow had to tell him would involve
some pain. Of course he'd found out the basic story of what had caused Willow's departure when he'd
returned to Sunnydale. But he knew there would be more to tell.
"Okay. I suppose it all started with Spike."
"I know."
The young watcher looked up in surprise. "How?"
"Anya."
"Oh, right."
"So what happened after you left?"
"Well I traveled for a while, Asia, Europe, finally I arrived in England."
The story continued for a few hours as Willow retold every moment since she had left Sunnydale all
those years before. She even, haltingly, told the story of her last attempt to love. A young man back in
2003. He had been 18, on his post-grad. vacation in England. They had only been together for a month
but she had really begun to fall for him. He was very intelligent, very attractive. However, it had only
lasted for a month because then her parents had died and Willow finally realized that everyone she had
ever cared about left her or died. She didn't want to go through that again so she'd left one morning,
while he was asleep, refusing to let herself fall in love again.
When Oz heard this he felt his heart sink. True, it hadn't been completely his fault, but still. If he hadn't
left in the first place then chances were none of this would have happened. But still, who ends up
marrying their high school sweet heart? They wouldn't have lasted forever. As he looked at her now he
realized how true that statement was. She was so different from the Willow he had fallen in love with all
those years ago, that innocence and sweetness was gone. All that seemed to be left in those bright
baby blues was pain.
"Oz?" Willow asked gently, her story had ended with her arrival here in Sunnydale and the discovery
that her slayer's new friends included his son.
"So now you're a watcher and there's a new Scooby gang huh? And Will's one of them. Can't say I'm
surprised."
"You mean you're okay with this? With him helping?"
"No. How can I be okay? You're basically telling me that my son is planning on putting himself in mortal
danger on a nightly basis."
Willow's face fell at this. "So you won't let him help then."
"Do I have a choice?" Oz smiled sadly at his former lover before continuing, "Nothing could have
stopped me from helping you know. I was always there for you guys. All of you. If I'd ever been told
otherwise, I still would have helped. Besides, Will still has some of his mother in him. She always did
what she wanted, no matter what I said to her. No matter how often I told her I loved her, she knew the
truth. She did what was best, even though I begged her to stay."
"You begged?" Willow asked quietly, surprised at the thought of the stoic Oz begging.
"I didn't think I could do it on my own. Be a father I mean. But she knew better. Emma always knew that
I was the one they should be with. I was the one that would do anything in my power to protect them.
Will's just like her. He always does what's right. Never told a lie to my knowledge. I don't want to be the
one to make him start."
Willow wanted to ask about Emma, find out more about the woman Oz had fallen for after her. But this
was not the time. * One difficult conversation at a time Willow. *
"And you? Do you still... well, you know."
"Yes."
Yet another surprise. Willow hadn't really expected Oz to still be a part of that world. But apparently he
was.
"It's dangerous on your own. You shouldn't fight alone, you know that!" She wasn't sure where the anger
had come from but suddenly the thought of Oz putting himself in harm's way enraged her. It wasn't like
before. He had no slayer with him now.
"I'm not alone. Anya.."
"Oh of course, Anya." Now the anger gave way to a jealousy that Willow knew was unreasonable. He
hadn't been hers for a long time, but still, the idea of him and Anya fighting side by side, of her tending
his wounds after a battle, of her helping him decorate this home, providing flowers and a rug. It hurt that
someone else was with him, making him happy, while she had been suffering alone all this time.
"And how long have you and Anya been together then?" She spat out the woman's name as though it
had a foul taste.
Oz reacted in the most bizarre way Willow could think of. He laughed. A long, deep laugh that she had
never heard before, even when they were together, he had never laughed like that. Suddenly she hated
that laugh. He was mocking her! Laughing at her jealousy. Willow stood up quickly, red with rage.
"DON'T LAUGH AT ME! IT'S NOT FUNNY! THE IDEA OF YOU AND HER! IT'S DISGUSTING!"
The smile on his face disappeared in an instant and he tried to make her sit down. "Willow..."
"Don't TOUCH ME!"
"Willow you don't know what you're talking about."
"YOU THINK I HAVEN't FIGURED IT OUT!"
"Figured what out?"
"OH COME ON OZ! IT'S OBVIOUS! YOU'RE NOT ALONE BECAUSE YOU'RE SHACKING UP WITH
THAT...WOMAN!"
"WHAT! Willow listen I don't..."
"OH DON'T MAKE EXCUSES! IF YOU WANNA SLEEP WITH THAT MONEY OBSESSED..."
"I'M NOT SLEEPING WITH ANYA!"
Willow froze, looking into his beautiful blue eyes.
"I'm not sleeping with Anya." He repeated quietly, again he was the Oz Willow knew. Calm,
understanding, holding her arms gently but firmly. "Please don't shout, you'll wake the kids."
Willow felt the shame wash over her. "I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me."
"Me and Anya aren't sleeping together. We never have. We just help each other. We're both single
parents so naturally we spend time together. It's like a kind of support system."
"I bet she needs it more than you." Willow joked weakly as she allowed herself to be pulled back down
onto the sofa.
"You'd be surprised. She's just got one boy, I've got a girl as well."
"I'm sorry. I had no right. It isn't my business either way."
"I understand. You don't think I went a bit mental at Spike when I heard; I wanted to rip him to shreds for
hurting you. Hell, I wanted to rip him to shreds for touching you! Of course he was long gone. Hasn't
been around here since you left."
This stunned Willow. Did this mean he'd just returned? Although she knew that when he wanted Spike
could be just as invisible and lurky as Angel, it just wasn't his style. He liked to taunt from the sidelines.
He craved the attention. He wanted to be seen.
"Willow?"
"Sorry. Just thinking."
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have mentioned...certain people."
"Well it was gonna come up at some point. I just don't like to think about them too often. It's harder now
of course. Being here."
"So...you want us to help?"
"Yes." Willow smiled gratefully at Oz, relieved at the abrupt and obvious subject change. "If you would.
We could use you. Plus it will probably make it easier on Will. You know. Knowing."
"Everything?"
"As much as you feel is necessary. Just make sure you tell me what he doesn't know. Wouldn't want to
let any embarrassing secrets out would we?"
Oz took her hands gently in his and stared deeply into her eyes. "You could never be an
embarrassment. You're one of the people in my life that I'm most proud to know. The fact that you loved
me just shows how lucky I was back then. And what an idiot I was as well."
"Oz..."
"Shhh."
With that he leaned forward, brushing her hair away from her cheek as he had done so many time
before. He tenderly caressed her cheek and they stayed like that for a moment, losing themselves in
each other's eyes. Finally, being able to stand the distance no longer, Willow closed the gap and
pressed her soft lips against his. She felt at home again, briefly everything was normal; she was exactly
where she was supposed to be. But then the safety the tender moment had given her fell away as she
realized that this kiss was different in one way, it was a kiss between two people who, though they had
once meant everything to each other, were practically strangers, with very different lives, and needs.
As they pulled away Oz wiped the tears away from her eyes and, gesturing to them, asked "Why?"
Taking a deep, calming breath, she replied, "Because that was our last kiss."
Oz smiled sadly. "I know."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~
After the emotions both of the people sat on the sofa had calmed, they continued their conversation.
"So tell me about life here since I left." Willow asked as Oz handed her a whisky. After the events of a
few moments before they had both agreed that tea was by no means a strong enough beverage.
"Well, I came back when the kids were three and four. So I missed a lot. Will made friends with Rob and
Ella pretty much instantly. Whereas Jenny, That's my daughter's name, Jennifer. Well she has always
been quite a quiet one. Tends to avoid people. Never seems to bring anyone home. Although I suppose
that means that I don't need to worry about meeting the boyfriend for a while." Oz joked. Willow smiled.
Oz joking, Oz grinning constantly, Oz laughing. Goddess this was gonna take some getting used to.
"So Jenny's like you then."
"Well I wouldn't say that. I mean, she hasn't got a musical bone in her body. And she can really yell if
she wants. But most people don't see that side of her. It's her mother's temper you see, Emma was
always up for an argument."
"How on earth did she cope with you then?"
"Well ultimately she didn't."
Willow silently cursed herself for such a careless comment. "Oh Oz I'm sorry, I just didn't think. I'm
really..."
"Willow please don't. I told you. We parted amicably, kind of. We were too different, that was part of the
problem. I wanted family and she wanted freedom."
"Well, I'm sorry, please continue."
"Well naturally, with Will becoming so close to Rob and Ella it wasn't long before I met up with the
others..."
"Oh of course, that's what I meant to ask you, because Ella was bugging me about it earlier. Her mother
and father, Elizabeth and, oh I didn't get her father's name. Do they know, you know, about vampires
and everything?"
Oz looked at Willow, apparently confused. "Willow, did Ella tell you her mother's full name?"
Willow was also confused by this unusual question. "Well yes, she said her mother was called Elizabeth
Williams. Why?"
"Ella's Father's name is Pike Williams."
"Aaand?" Willow still didn't see where this conversation was going.
"Ella's mother's maiden name was Elizabeth Summers."
Oz was shocked as he saw the brunette, he still couldn't get used to the hair colour, seemingly fainted in
front of him. Catching the whisky glass before it hit the floor he shook the woman in front of him and as a
last attempt, he held the whisky underneath her nose until she inhaled the strong scent of the liquor and
regained consciousness.
"Willow? What..."
"Did you say Buffy is Ella's Mom?"
"Well yes. But I thought you knew that..."
"That she was alive. No. Last I saw she was diving into the Hellmouth."
"Ah. Uhm, I guess I have more to tell you than I thought. You see, Buffy did jump into the hellmouth,
apparently she managed to grab onto a rock that was jutting out near the top. She held onto that rock for
nearly a day, I still don't know how she managed it, I mean even the slayer gets worn out, but anyway,
Cordelia had a vision, she saw what had happened after the hellmouth had closed and, realizing that
Buffy was still alive, Cordy, Wesley and some guy called Gunn dug her out. So the story goes.
"It sounds so simple when you say it but... how can it be possible." Willow suddenly felt more lost and
confused than she ever had before, if only she'd never come back here. Every day her world was
changing, First Spike was hiding in Sunnydale, while Angel was running out of the shadows to comfort
her, Oz was a father and now Buffy was alive. Nothing seemed to make sense anymore.
"...a miracle and leave it at that." Oz finished. Willow glanced up at him, having heard none of what he'd
said just then.
As Oz looked into the confused, scared eyes before him he asked her the question that she refused to
ask herself.
"Do you want to go and see her?"
"No!" Willow answered sharply. It was too soon, she hadn't bothered to decide how she felt now towards
the Blonde, she'd never needed to, she hadn't been expecting to see her again, considering she'd been
dead and everything.
"Not yet, I'm not ready to...to have that conversation."
Oz smiled understandingly and they both glanced towards the window as the first rays of the sun burst
through into the living room.
"Daybreak." Willow whispered.
"We've talked all night." Oz stated needlessly.
Sighing Willow muttered, dejectedly, "At least some things don't change"
"You want to have a nap in my bed for a couple of hours before school? I've got some writing to do
anyway and that whisky has me surprisingly wakeful."
"Thank you but I couldn't..."
"I insist. There's no point in your going home now. Rest for a couple of hours, I'll make you breakfast
and wake you at seven, that's two hours okay?"
"Thank you Oz."
"It's fine, really."
"Not for the breakfast. For..."
"I know."
Smiling Oz helped Willow stand up and showed her to the bedroom, before he returned to the sitting
room, picked up his favourite guitar and then played until it was time to make breakfast.
* What a night. *
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~
Dredging up the past
Will looked backwards and forwards between his dad and Miss Winters. Why had she called herself
Willow? He was sure Lizbeth had said her name was Alex. And from the way his dad was staring at her
he was beginning to feel that there were many more secrets to Miss Winters than her name. For
example, why was his dad so speechless? He was a quiet man but he was always polite. Now the
musician was just staring at the librarian.
Finally Oz spoke. "William, upstairs please."
"But I really think I should st..."
"Upstairs now."
Will stared at his dad in shock. That was the first time he'd ever been ordered to do something. And the
teenager did not enjoy the feeling that came with it. However, upstairs seemed to be a far safer place
than here right now. He was not liking the tension in this hall one bit.
"I'll see you in the morning then. Goodnight Miss Winters."
Neither of the two adults in the hall acknowledged the boys farewell, Willow was too caught up in the
sight of her old love and Oz was busy processing the fact that his son had called Willow Miss Winters.
"So." The nervous woman began.
"So." Oz replied cautiously.
He let out a breath that he hadn't even realized he was holding, and continued. "You're married."
"What. No. Why...Oh, the Winters thing. No I just. I wanted to leave Willow behind. Completely. So I
changed my name."
"Why did you come back then? If you wanted to leave it all behind I mean."
"Work."
"Oh."
They lapsed into another long silence, memories flooding back.
After a few moments more of staring and remembering, Oz finally said, "Well I suppose you should
come in to the lounge."
"Thank you."
As Willow settled herself on the comfy brown sofa Oz asked the easiest question he would ask that
night.
"Tea? Coffee?"
"Tea please."
As the werewolf busied himself with the task of preparing Tea, Willow glanced around the room, she
took it all in, the Stereo, the huge CD and record collection, the small TV. and a couple of guitars rested
in the corner of the room. It was obviously a family room; the rug on the floor was a beautiful picture of a
wolf, sat alert, surrounded by tree trunks. Flowers were on the windowsill. This home definitely had been
given the female touch, but there were no signs that the house had a female occupant. At least not one
over the age of 16 Willow thought as she glanced at the copy of Seventeen Magazine mixed in with the
copies of Total Guitar and Kerrang!
She glanced up at the fireplace and spotted a number of photos. There was one of Will, his arms around
a young girl of about fifteen. Willow recognized Oz's easy grin and kind eyes on the girl's face. *A
daughter as well. So where's the wife? *
"She left us." Oz answered.
Willow looked round in shock. "Did I say that out loud?"
"No, but everyone who comes here looks at those pictures and asks where the ones of my wife are."
"Oh. I'm sorry."
"Don't be, it was for the best. She couldn't handle being a mother. She tried for the first few years, but
she knew that it was no good. She just didn't get that maternal feeling. We both agreed that the kids
would be better of with no mother than with a mother who couldn't seem to love them."
"But still, it must have been hard."
"Surprisingly not. We were never in love. Just infatuated."
"Oh."
Silence settled over the room as Willow accepted her tea and sat back down on the sofa.
"So do you want to start?" Oz asked gently, sensing that whatever Willow had to tell him would involve
some pain. Of course he'd found out the basic story of what had caused Willow's departure when he'd
returned to Sunnydale. But he knew there would be more to tell.
"Okay. I suppose it all started with Spike."
"I know."
The young watcher looked up in surprise. "How?"
"Anya."
"Oh, right."
"So what happened after you left?"
"Well I traveled for a while, Asia, Europe, finally I arrived in England."
The story continued for a few hours as Willow retold every moment since she had left Sunnydale all
those years before. She even, haltingly, told the story of her last attempt to love. A young man back in
2003. He had been 18, on his post-grad. vacation in England. They had only been together for a month
but she had really begun to fall for him. He was very intelligent, very attractive. However, it had only
lasted for a month because then her parents had died and Willow finally realized that everyone she had
ever cared about left her or died. She didn't want to go through that again so she'd left one morning,
while he was asleep, refusing to let herself fall in love again.
When Oz heard this he felt his heart sink. True, it hadn't been completely his fault, but still. If he hadn't
left in the first place then chances were none of this would have happened. But still, who ends up
marrying their high school sweet heart? They wouldn't have lasted forever. As he looked at her now he
realized how true that statement was. She was so different from the Willow he had fallen in love with all
those years ago, that innocence and sweetness was gone. All that seemed to be left in those bright
baby blues was pain.
"Oz?" Willow asked gently, her story had ended with her arrival here in Sunnydale and the discovery
that her slayer's new friends included his son.
"So now you're a watcher and there's a new Scooby gang huh? And Will's one of them. Can't say I'm
surprised."
"You mean you're okay with this? With him helping?"
"No. How can I be okay? You're basically telling me that my son is planning on putting himself in mortal
danger on a nightly basis."
Willow's face fell at this. "So you won't let him help then."
"Do I have a choice?" Oz smiled sadly at his former lover before continuing, "Nothing could have
stopped me from helping you know. I was always there for you guys. All of you. If I'd ever been told
otherwise, I still would have helped. Besides, Will still has some of his mother in him. She always did
what she wanted, no matter what I said to her. No matter how often I told her I loved her, she knew the
truth. She did what was best, even though I begged her to stay."
"You begged?" Willow asked quietly, surprised at the thought of the stoic Oz begging.
"I didn't think I could do it on my own. Be a father I mean. But she knew better. Emma always knew that
I was the one they should be with. I was the one that would do anything in my power to protect them.
Will's just like her. He always does what's right. Never told a lie to my knowledge. I don't want to be the
one to make him start."
Willow wanted to ask about Emma, find out more about the woman Oz had fallen for after her. But this
was not the time. * One difficult conversation at a time Willow. *
"And you? Do you still... well, you know."
"Yes."
Yet another surprise. Willow hadn't really expected Oz to still be a part of that world. But apparently he
was.
"It's dangerous on your own. You shouldn't fight alone, you know that!" She wasn't sure where the anger
had come from but suddenly the thought of Oz putting himself in harm's way enraged her. It wasn't like
before. He had no slayer with him now.
"I'm not alone. Anya.."
"Oh of course, Anya." Now the anger gave way to a jealousy that Willow knew was unreasonable. He
hadn't been hers for a long time, but still, the idea of him and Anya fighting side by side, of her tending
his wounds after a battle, of her helping him decorate this home, providing flowers and a rug. It hurt that
someone else was with him, making him happy, while she had been suffering alone all this time.
"And how long have you and Anya been together then?" She spat out the woman's name as though it
had a foul taste.
Oz reacted in the most bizarre way Willow could think of. He laughed. A long, deep laugh that she had
never heard before, even when they were together, he had never laughed like that. Suddenly she hated
that laugh. He was mocking her! Laughing at her jealousy. Willow stood up quickly, red with rage.
"DON'T LAUGH AT ME! IT'S NOT FUNNY! THE IDEA OF YOU AND HER! IT'S DISGUSTING!"
The smile on his face disappeared in an instant and he tried to make her sit down. "Willow..."
"Don't TOUCH ME!"
"Willow you don't know what you're talking about."
"YOU THINK I HAVEN't FIGURED IT OUT!"
"Figured what out?"
"OH COME ON OZ! IT'S OBVIOUS! YOU'RE NOT ALONE BECAUSE YOU'RE SHACKING UP WITH
THAT...WOMAN!"
"WHAT! Willow listen I don't..."
"OH DON'T MAKE EXCUSES! IF YOU WANNA SLEEP WITH THAT MONEY OBSESSED..."
"I'M NOT SLEEPING WITH ANYA!"
Willow froze, looking into his beautiful blue eyes.
"I'm not sleeping with Anya." He repeated quietly, again he was the Oz Willow knew. Calm,
understanding, holding her arms gently but firmly. "Please don't shout, you'll wake the kids."
Willow felt the shame wash over her. "I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me."
"Me and Anya aren't sleeping together. We never have. We just help each other. We're both single
parents so naturally we spend time together. It's like a kind of support system."
"I bet she needs it more than you." Willow joked weakly as she allowed herself to be pulled back down
onto the sofa.
"You'd be surprised. She's just got one boy, I've got a girl as well."
"I'm sorry. I had no right. It isn't my business either way."
"I understand. You don't think I went a bit mental at Spike when I heard; I wanted to rip him to shreds for
hurting you. Hell, I wanted to rip him to shreds for touching you! Of course he was long gone. Hasn't
been around here since you left."
This stunned Willow. Did this mean he'd just returned? Although she knew that when he wanted Spike
could be just as invisible and lurky as Angel, it just wasn't his style. He liked to taunt from the sidelines.
He craved the attention. He wanted to be seen.
"Willow?"
"Sorry. Just thinking."
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have mentioned...certain people."
"Well it was gonna come up at some point. I just don't like to think about them too often. It's harder now
of course. Being here."
"So...you want us to help?"
"Yes." Willow smiled gratefully at Oz, relieved at the abrupt and obvious subject change. "If you would.
We could use you. Plus it will probably make it easier on Will. You know. Knowing."
"Everything?"
"As much as you feel is necessary. Just make sure you tell me what he doesn't know. Wouldn't want to
let any embarrassing secrets out would we?"
Oz took her hands gently in his and stared deeply into her eyes. "You could never be an
embarrassment. You're one of the people in my life that I'm most proud to know. The fact that you loved
me just shows how lucky I was back then. And what an idiot I was as well."
"Oz..."
"Shhh."
With that he leaned forward, brushing her hair away from her cheek as he had done so many time
before. He tenderly caressed her cheek and they stayed like that for a moment, losing themselves in
each other's eyes. Finally, being able to stand the distance no longer, Willow closed the gap and
pressed her soft lips against his. She felt at home again, briefly everything was normal; she was exactly
where she was supposed to be. But then the safety the tender moment had given her fell away as she
realized that this kiss was different in one way, it was a kiss between two people who, though they had
once meant everything to each other, were practically strangers, with very different lives, and needs.
As they pulled away Oz wiped the tears away from her eyes and, gesturing to them, asked "Why?"
Taking a deep, calming breath, she replied, "Because that was our last kiss."
Oz smiled sadly. "I know."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~
After the emotions both of the people sat on the sofa had calmed, they continued their conversation.
"So tell me about life here since I left." Willow asked as Oz handed her a whisky. After the events of a
few moments before they had both agreed that tea was by no means a strong enough beverage.
"Well, I came back when the kids were three and four. So I missed a lot. Will made friends with Rob and
Ella pretty much instantly. Whereas Jenny, That's my daughter's name, Jennifer. Well she has always
been quite a quiet one. Tends to avoid people. Never seems to bring anyone home. Although I suppose
that means that I don't need to worry about meeting the boyfriend for a while." Oz joked. Willow smiled.
Oz joking, Oz grinning constantly, Oz laughing. Goddess this was gonna take some getting used to.
"So Jenny's like you then."
"Well I wouldn't say that. I mean, she hasn't got a musical bone in her body. And she can really yell if
she wants. But most people don't see that side of her. It's her mother's temper you see, Emma was
always up for an argument."
"How on earth did she cope with you then?"
"Well ultimately she didn't."
Willow silently cursed herself for such a careless comment. "Oh Oz I'm sorry, I just didn't think. I'm
really..."
"Willow please don't. I told you. We parted amicably, kind of. We were too different, that was part of the
problem. I wanted family and she wanted freedom."
"Well, I'm sorry, please continue."
"Well naturally, with Will becoming so close to Rob and Ella it wasn't long before I met up with the
others..."
"Oh of course, that's what I meant to ask you, because Ella was bugging me about it earlier. Her mother
and father, Elizabeth and, oh I didn't get her father's name. Do they know, you know, about vampires
and everything?"
Oz looked at Willow, apparently confused. "Willow, did Ella tell you her mother's full name?"
Willow was also confused by this unusual question. "Well yes, she said her mother was called Elizabeth
Williams. Why?"
"Ella's Father's name is Pike Williams."
"Aaand?" Willow still didn't see where this conversation was going.
"Ella's mother's maiden name was Elizabeth Summers."
Oz was shocked as he saw the brunette, he still couldn't get used to the hair colour, seemingly fainted in
front of him. Catching the whisky glass before it hit the floor he shook the woman in front of him and as a
last attempt, he held the whisky underneath her nose until she inhaled the strong scent of the liquor and
regained consciousness.
"Willow? What..."
"Did you say Buffy is Ella's Mom?"
"Well yes. But I thought you knew that..."
"That she was alive. No. Last I saw she was diving into the Hellmouth."
"Ah. Uhm, I guess I have more to tell you than I thought. You see, Buffy did jump into the hellmouth,
apparently she managed to grab onto a rock that was jutting out near the top. She held onto that rock for
nearly a day, I still don't know how she managed it, I mean even the slayer gets worn out, but anyway,
Cordelia had a vision, she saw what had happened after the hellmouth had closed and, realizing that
Buffy was still alive, Cordy, Wesley and some guy called Gunn dug her out. So the story goes.
"It sounds so simple when you say it but... how can it be possible." Willow suddenly felt more lost and
confused than she ever had before, if only she'd never come back here. Every day her world was
changing, First Spike was hiding in Sunnydale, while Angel was running out of the shadows to comfort
her, Oz was a father and now Buffy was alive. Nothing seemed to make sense anymore.
"...a miracle and leave it at that." Oz finished. Willow glanced up at him, having heard none of what he'd
said just then.
As Oz looked into the confused, scared eyes before him he asked her the question that she refused to
ask herself.
"Do you want to go and see her?"
"No!" Willow answered sharply. It was too soon, she hadn't bothered to decide how she felt now towards
the Blonde, she'd never needed to, she hadn't been expecting to see her again, considering she'd been
dead and everything.
"Not yet, I'm not ready to...to have that conversation."
Oz smiled understandingly and they both glanced towards the window as the first rays of the sun burst
through into the living room.
"Daybreak." Willow whispered.
"We've talked all night." Oz stated needlessly.
Sighing Willow muttered, dejectedly, "At least some things don't change"
"You want to have a nap in my bed for a couple of hours before school? I've got some writing to do
anyway and that whisky has me surprisingly wakeful."
"Thank you but I couldn't..."
"I insist. There's no point in your going home now. Rest for a couple of hours, I'll make you breakfast
and wake you at seven, that's two hours okay?"
"Thank you Oz."
"It's fine, really."
"Not for the breakfast. For..."
"I know."
Smiling Oz helped Willow stand up and showed her to the bedroom, before he returned to the sitting
room, picked up his favourite guitar and then played until it was time to make breakfast.
* What a night. *
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